Seo Jun-Ho nodded. âThis scene does feel familiar to me, but whatâs wrong with that?â
Meanwhile, the werewolves next to him started running.
âWhat are you doing, Seo Jun-Ho? Run!â
âIt seems that you arenât as fast as us!â
âI donât know whatâs going on, but letâs start running before anything else.â
Seo Jun-Hoâs figure blurred. He arrived ahead of the werewolves in the blink of an eye.
- Have you really forgotten everything, or are you just running away from the truth?
â...â
Keen Intuitionâs chiding cooled Seo Jun-Hoâs mind, and the emotions that had unknowingly been buried in a corner of his heart started to surface like bubbles rising to the surface of the water.
Seo Jun-Ho asked in a low voice, âIt is what I think it is?â
- It seems to be exactly what you think it is. The answer is obviousâjust take a look at how frustrated you are.
It seemed chaotic at first glance, but the answer that Seo Jun-Ho had received after extrapolating was clearly saying thatâŠ
âDid we go back in time?â
- I reached the same conclusion after experiencing a deluge of emotions from you, partner.
Seo Jun-Ho shook his head and pondered.
âThis time, Iâm not the one who is turning back timeâŠâ Seo Jun-Ho looked around. If an ally turned back time, then something had definitely gone wrong. âIn that case, then they would have already told us what had happened.â
However, the werewolves werenât acting strange and were focused only on running. In other words, the regressor wasnât one of his alliesâat least, he wasnât familiar with them.
âWhat do you think about the possibility that thereâs a Player who can turn back time among us?â
- The chances are very low. In addition, a Player with that kind of skill doesnât just appear out of nowhere.
âSo itâs neither the werewolves nor the humans.â
In other words, there could only be one answer.
âItâs that True VampireâŠâ Seo Jun-Hoâs eyes shone sharply.
Meanwhile, Shin Sung-Hyun started waving his hands.
âHere! This way!â
âEveryone! Jump into the rift!â
âFor the werewolvesâŠ!â Arnold cried out.
The werewolves picked up their pace, but a huge wall of ice suddenly appeared on the plain. The werewolves couldnât slow down in time, and they collided against the wall of ice.
âArgh! My knee is fucked!â
âMy forehead hurtsâŠ!â
âWhatâs going on? It hurts! It stings! Awooo!â
The werewolves blew on their wounds with tears in their eyes.
Skaya turned to Seo Jun-Ho and asked, âWhat is this?â
âIâm sorry for killing the mood, and forgive me because Iâm going to do it againâŠâ
Seo Jun-Ho then proceeded to send a message to everyoneâs message window.
[This is Specter. I repeat. This is Specter.]
Seo Jun-Ho calmly faced the doubtful eyes of everyone on the plain.
[Operation Recapture Trium is canceled. All Players evacuate the city.]
***
Swoosh!
A man in a gray suit was looking up at a tree that was so massive that it seemed as though it was supporting the entire world.
The man in a gray suit was in a forest filled with the pleasant breeze of spring.
âItâs been a while...â
- How have you been, Gray?
âNothing much has changed. Anyway, I should have told you earlier, but Iâm sorry for the difficult time you had to go through.â
-Thank you.
The World Tree gently waved her branches.
- So, what brings you here today?
âI came here to ask you something. Do you have a minute?â
- I have enough time. Go ahead.
Gray nodded and got straight to the point.
âIs it really okay to leave the 6th Floor as it is?â
- Yes. Itâs okay.
Gray didnât know what to say in response to the World Treeâs firm and decisive reply.
- I think I know why you are here. It seems that the demons had granted them too much power.
âTheir ability is much more powerful than we have presumed. Are you sure the Players will get through it?â
- It is amusing to see you show interest in a place that isnât even in your jurisdiction.
For a moment, Gray felt as if the World Tree was scrutinizing him.
However, he only smiled gently in response.
âWell, you already know why...â
- I do know very well. Iâm just surprised to see you this proactive.
âWell, Reiji isnât the only one who wants to retire.â
- Will they manage to get through it?
âHow would I know that?â
Gray shrugged.
âBut I must admit, it is within my expectations.â
- I concur.
The World Tree truly felt the same as Gray.
- If youâre here because youâre worried about the 6th Floor, then I am telling you that you do not have to worry about it.
âYou looked that far into the future?â
- Yup. Otherwise, I wouldnât have been able to make arrangements for player Seo Jun-Ho.
âWowâŠâ
âAs expected. She is indeed the mighty World Tree.â
Gray nodded and said, âI guess my worries were unfounded. Some of the Players are definitely⊠growing at a rate that exceeds our expectations.â
- They are part of nature as well. It is only natural for them to assimilate into the surrounding environment.
People would inevitably go toward a source of lightâŠ
Gray breathed a sigh of relief.
he World Treeâs words had truly relieved him of his worries.
âI feel a little relieved, thanks to you.â
- Donât mention it.
The Tree of Wisdom, the World Tree, was confident of the Playersâ chances, so Gray didnât have to worry about them.
âShe probably gave some of her power to Seo Jun-HoâŠâ
The higher-ups would definitely discuss it once they discovered it, but it was better than the Playersâ annihilation.
Gray repeatedly nodded. However, he seemed to have remembered something as he spoke, âBy the wayâŠâ
- Yes? Go ahead.
âHypothetically speaking, what if Seo Jun-Ho ends up clearing the 6th Floor without taking advantage of your arrangement?â
-...
The massive World Tree remained silent for a while. When a cold dew dripped down one of her branches and landed on the ground, the World Tree finally spoke.
- No, no way. There is no way they could get through the 6th Floor without taking advantage of my arrangement.
âThe Players have always defied common sense, you know...â
âThat wonât be good. The arrangement I had prepared was only suitable for the 6th Floor, and it was only possible because I looked into that futureâŠâ
The World Treeâs branched drooped as she spoke.
- Iâm not sure. Itâs rare, but if it happens, then perhaps the flow of fate that has always been inscrutable to me would turn and twist once more.
It would be impossible to know whether the changes would be beneficial to the Players or not. The World Tree could only earnestly pray that she hadnât made the wrong choice.
***
âExplain!â
Bang!
Mekenbo slammed the desk of the barracks made out of ice that Seo Jun-Ho had made on the spot in the middle of the plains.
He glared at Seo Jun-Ho and said, âWhatâs the reason? Did you get scared of the upcoming war?â
âWatch your mouth, Mekenbo,â Arnold warned in a low voice. He turned toward Seo Jun-Ho and asked, âWhy did you do it?â
In Arnoldâs eyes, Seo Jun-Ho wasnât afraid of going to war.
Otherwise, he wouldnât have been able to get rid of Paradox.
Seo Jun-Ho said calmly, âKeen Intuition said that we shouldnât go.â
âDo you really think that Iâll be satisfied with that?!â Mekenbo went on a rampage once again.
However, Skaya and Rahmadatâs reactions were different.
âKeen Intuition?â
âIt seems that thereâs definitely something off here.â
Skaya and Rahmadat knew that Seo Jun-Hoâs Keen Intuition was reliable.
Seo Jun-Ho turned to the werewolves and asked, âDo you happen to know the word âregressionâ?â
â...â
The chiefs and Arch Warriors stared at each other, confused.
âRegression? What is that?â
âI-is it something delicious?â
âI donât think itâs foodâŠ.â
âI think Iâve heard of it in the city. Is it a religion?â
The unfamiliar word stumped the werewolves and chiefs.
Arnold spoke on behalf of everyone. âIâve never heard of it. What is it?â
âSkaya.â
Skaya was a native English speaker and an engineer as well. Therefore, she could explain theories better than anyone else here. Skaya then explained the meaning of the word to the werewolves.
âIn other words, itâs a power to repeat an event over and over again?â Arnold asked.
âItâs like thatâŠâ
âStop it with those complicated words! Youâre giving me a headache!â Mekenbo exclaimed and thumped on his chest to show that he was frustrated. âWeâre here to ask you why you canceled the operation, so why are you suddenly talking about something else?â
âItâs because theyâre relatedâŠâ
In Another World, Seo Jun-Ho had experienced hundreds of regressions in a span of seventeen years. Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the most familiar with the feeling of going back in time.
âIt was definitely the same feeling as back then.â
âSo you went back in time because you failed?â
âNoâŠâ Seo Jun-Ho shook his head. âMy ability to regress was only temporary. I donât have it anymore..â
Seo Jun-Ho swept his gaze across the individuals in the barracks and asked, âI asked the Players who came up here just in case, but none of them could regress. So, let me all of you here. Is there anyone here who can regress?â
âDo you seriously think that one of us can regress?!â
âIf that unbelievable ability doesnât exist, then this situation wouldnât have unfolded.â
âExactly. The fact that no one among the werewolves or the humans can regress meansâŠâ
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
âIt means that one of the enemies has the ability to regress,â Arnold said with a frown.
He quickly caught on to what Seo Jun-Ho was trying to say.
âYes, and I think that it is True Vampire Tepesâ ability.â
âThatâs ridiculousâŠâ
âH-how are we supposed to defeat him if he can go back in time?â
âDamn it!â
The werewolves vented their anger by slapping the floor and the wall made out of ice. It couldnât be helped, and they couldnât be blamed.
The werewolves thought that they could finally reclaim their homeland, but the presence of an enemy with such a powerful ability shattered their hopes.
âDonât worryâŠâ
âY-yes⊠Seo Jun-Ho regressed hundreds of times, right? Heâs an expert in the field.â
âWhat does that even mean?â
âHow are we supposed to defeat an enemy who just goes back in time whenever he gets defeated?â
âItâs possible to win,â Seo Jun-Ho answered in a firm voice, âTo be honest, I was frustrated when I realized that Tepes could regress, but we still have a huge chance of winning.â
Hearing that, Skaya grinned and turned to look at Seo Jun-Ho with an expression that seemed to be saying âI knew you would say that, you idiot!â
Rahamadat blinked and scratched his head. âHuh? How?â
âLet me explainâŠâ Skaya proudly stepped forward and explained, âThere is a difference between Seo Jun-Hoâs ability to regress and Tepesâ ability to regress. The biggest difference is the level of the existence that handed over the ability to them.â
Seo Jun-Hoâs ability to regress came from the World Tree, a transcendent being.
However, it seemed that True Vampire Tepesâ ability was innate.
âThereâs no way he could have gotten that ability from a transcendent.â
âThatâs right. I think he only drank blood that strengthened his ability to regress.â
In other words, there was a difference in level between Seo Jun-Hoâs ability to regress and Tepesâ ability to regress.
Seo Jun-Ho glanced at the time on his Vita and asked, âChief Arnold, how long was the operation supposed to take?â
âSpeed is the key to the operation, so the operation is supposed to end in just two hours.
âThatâs it. I think Tepesâ limit is two hoursâŠâ
Todayâs dawn had to be the checkpoint, which meant that it was the limit of Tepesâ ability.
âAnd the biggest reason why our chance of winning is hugeâŠâ Skayaâs eyes shone brightly as she said, âAn audience will no longer be excited about the magicianâs trick if the trick has already been revealed.â
Seo Jun-Ho had discovered Tepesâ ability to regress. If Seo Jun-Hoâs assumption was true, then the allies only had one thing to do.
âLetâs start moving once again.â
Seo Jun-Ho stood up.
His message window started flashing once again.
[This is group B-7. As you said, the sewers have collapsed.]
[This is group H-10. There was indeed a bomb in the Vampireâs House.]
âFrom now on, this will be a battle of brains.â
The winner of this war would be the one who was always one step ahead.
âAnd if itâs a battle of brainsâŠâ
Seo Jun-Ho slowly turned to someone.
âHehe.â
âSkaya Killiland is more dependable than anyone else...â